U.S. Shoots Down Object Over Alaska That Posed ‘Threat,’ Pentagon Says

Topline

The U.S. military shot down an object moving over Alaskan air space Friday afternoon that posed a “reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight,” according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, less than a week after shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that moved across the country.

Key Facts

The “high-altitude object” was flying at a height of 40,000 feet, Kirby said—an altitude at which many commercial aircraft fly.

President Joe Biden gave the order to shoot down the object on recommendation from the Pentagon, after officials had tracked it for around 24 hours, according to Kirby.

Kirby said it went down over frozen U.S. territorial waters and a recovery effort will be made, but it appears to be “roughly the size of a small car,” calling it “much, much” smaller than the Chinese balloon spotted last week.

Fighter aircraft shot down the object at 1:45 p.m. off the northern coast of Alaska, Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a briefing.

It’s not immediately clear exactly what the object was or from where it may have originated.

Crucial Quote

“We don’t know if it’s state-owned and we don’t understand the full purpose,” Kirby said.

Key Background

The U.S. Air Force shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Sunday after it spent days hovering over the U.S., including near a Montana Air Force base that houses nuclear warheads. Biden faced significant criticism for not shooting down the balloon when it was first detected over Alaska, though the White House cited concerns about potential civilian casualties on the ground as a reason for not shooting it down earlier. Officials also said the balloon’s altitude—60,000 feet—kept it safely above the airspace utilized by civilian aircraft, and its intelligence value was “limited.” Defense officials believe the balloon was part of a worldwide Chinese spy program to monitor foreign military bases, according to the New York Times.

Tangent

The balloon caused renewed tensions between the U.S. and China just as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to take a high-profile trip to Beijing to meet with senior Chinese leadership, including President Xi Jinping. The visit was called off after the discovery of the balloon.

Further Reading

U.S. Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Over Atlantic (Forbes)

Blinken Postpones China Visit After Spy Balloon (Forbes)